Machine and method of flattening flanges of banjo frames



Ndv. 3, 1931. G. SPATTA 1,830,488

MACHINE AND METHOD OF FLfXTTENING FLANGES 0F BANJO FRAMES Filed Feb. -l5, 1930 I 3 sheets sheet 1 1 I j g 8' 1 G. SPATTA Nov. 3, 1931.

MACHINE AND METHOD OF FLATTENING FLANGES 0F BANJO FRAMES s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15', 1930 fMM Nov. 3, 1931.

G. SPATTA MACHINE AND METHOD OF FLATTENING FLANGES OF BANJO FRAMES Filed Feb. 15, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 3, 1931 anna UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE @GEQRGE SPATTA, OF BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CLARK EQUIPMENT C O M- rAnY, or BUCHANAKMICHIGAN, A conronsrron or MICHIGAN Application filed Bebruary15, 1980. Serial No. 428,653.

This invention relates to the machine and method of flattening flan es of ban o. frames.

In my copending app ication, Serial No;

416,537, filed December 26,1929, I disclosed a method of making axle housings from a tubular blank, in which the blank is slotted, and shaped to form a flanged cylindrical banjo disposed in the central portion of the housing with its axis at a right angle to the axis of the housing. 1 1 e The operation of forming the flanged banjo housing, more fully disclosed-in my' co ending application,v Serial No. 426,545, file F ch.

7 1930, includes the step of folding the cdges. of the central wall sections of the blank over at right angles to the wall to form the flanged banjo, and simultaneously spreading these walls to make the banjo cylindrical. 1

{This operation leavesgthe flanges somewhat Zirregular, and it-is therefore necessary to straighten these flanges so that they will be perfectly flat surfaces to which the cover of the housing and drive shaft casing bracket may be securely attached and with which -I they will form greasetightjoints i The present invention relates to a method of and machine for performing the flattening operation on the flanges of-such a lions ing, and for erforming similar operations upon similar Ianks.

In the preferred embodimentof the instant invention, a hammer is disposedwith' its axis. vertical and is reciprocated longitudinall of that axis. The hammer may be mechanically driven or if desired may be an air ham mer or any other type of'hammer capable of delivering a large number of'bl'ows per minute. Since the wall sections of the flanges of a housing of this'type are relatively thin, the amount of force required'of the hammer is not great, and it is therefore preferable to provide a relatively small hammer which delivers several hundred blows per minuteduring its operation. i. 7

The axle housing is approximately five feet long, and the cylindrical banjo in the center is in the neighborhood of one foot in diameter. It is necessary, therefore, to move the housing in a circular path havin a ra-- dius of approximately one ha lfi a.- oot to bring everyportion of the flange into engagement with the reciprocating hammer. Because of the length of the housing, it is obviously inconvenient to rotate it about the axis of the hammer simultaneously with the circular movement that brings the flange into engagement with the hammer, and I have, therefore, provided a new and improved anvil mounting which permits rotating the housing with respect to the hammer in a translatory movement over a path of the proper radius, This obviatesthe necessity of building the machine with sufficient clearance to permit the end sections of the blankto pass a frame of the machine, and since the operator can manipulate the blank while standing in close proximity to the hammer, the operation of the machine is speeded up appreciably and the cost of. performing the operation is thereby materially reduced.

In the preferred form of my invention,

the anvil mounting comprises three ball races disposed with their centers lying on the circumference of a circle whose center coincides with the axis of the hammer, the center of the ball races being located at the apexes of an equilateral triangle which is circumscribed by that circle.

-To further guide the anvil block in its travel around the axis of the hammer, I have provided a pin in the anvil whose axis coincides with the axis of the cylindrical portion of the housing that is to be flattened by the machine, said pin projecting into a: circular slot in'the stationary plate of the machine. The circular slot is located with its axis coinciding with the axis ofthe hammer, so that the engagement of-the pin on the anvil with the slot on the stationary portion of the machine guides the anvil. The

anvil is supported solely by balls located inv the ball races there being one ball in each race.

' Because of the differential action oftheball rolling in the stationary race in the bed plate of the machine and in the movable race in the anvil block, the diameter of the ball races equals the radius of the path in which the anvil block will be moved and by suitable selection of the ball races, the

movement of the anvil can be accurately controlled with respect to the reciprocating hammer. Now to acquaint those skilled in the art with the teachings of my invention reference is madeto the accompanyingidrawings' in which a preferred embodiment 'ofitis shown by way of example, and in which Figure lis a side elevational-viewpf complete machine with ablank inplacein-it; l Figure 2 is a plan view of the anvil ar rangement of the machine. shown-"in Figure ,7 1, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of tlfe arrows; i i s Figure 3 is 'a' cross s'ectiona-lview' through the anviltaken along the 'line 3'3 of ure 2 looking in thedirection of the arro'wsig Figure 4 is a detailed plan viewof'the anvil supporting structure taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 looking in'the direction ofthe arrows; I Figure 5 is'a cross sectional view through" the anvil and blank taken alon'gthe line'. 5-5 of Figure 1 lookingin thedi rection; of the arrows. f 1 f The machine comprises a framework hav-; ing a pedestal 1 supported on a suitable root; ing 2, and terminating in an' overhangi'ngif arm 3 to which the hammer structure 4 is attached. I v i v Immediately beneath the hammer 4 isi a stationary bed plate 5 which is mounted up'oiif the. pedestal 1 and made adjustable respect thereto in any; convenient manner such as by the screw 6 and locknut The bed plate 5 serves as amounting 'foithe anvil upon which the workis mounted;. and must be sufiiciently adjustable verticallyto bring the workinto proper registratioirwith; the hammer. The hammer 4 is operated {and lever or by a. connecting maeo i'eaea to the pulley wheel 9, which pulley wheel is rotated in any convenient manner such by an electriclmotor, not shown." Rubber blocks 10 and 11 are attached tdtherbdS and the pin 12 of the 0perating lever "13 interposed between the blocks 10 and 11 so that the lever is oscillated about its'pivot 14 by an oscillation oi' the rod 8., Y Lever 13 is connected to the hammer 4 by a rod 1.5, and pivoted to the portion-3' of..the frame the pivot; 14 ember an oscillation of' the' lever 13 willproducefan" oscillation of thehammer 'in 'a' vertical direction. The operation of the hammer is controlled by a clutch 16 whichiis operated convenient manner as'by the foot lever 17 to permit the operator tostart and stop the" oscillatorymovement of the hammer at will. The particular type of clutchan'd'driveof the hammer is not of the essence 'of thepresent invention and may bemodified greatly within the teachings of the invention. If desired, an air hammer may be substituted for the mechanical hamer shown, or any other suitable type of high speed hammer may be employed.

*As'ifwill'be 'seeii in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the bed plate5 of the machine is provided with'a fiat top portion 20 which is rigidly attached to the bed plate 5 in any, convenient manner such as by the screws 21.: -Lo cated in the upper surface of this plate is a centrally located circular" opening 22.whose walls are perpendicular to the upper face of the plate 20. Centrally located in 'thisf'circulangroove 22 is a cylindrical pin 23 which together with the opening 22 an annular groove of" rectangular cross'sectio nwhose center coincides with the center offfthe plate 2O. The pin 23 is'provided with'an extension 28 whichregisters with a counterbore'29 inthe plate 5 to center. the bedf'platein the machine. The axis of the ceun'terbore 29 coincides with the axis of the hammer and the bed plate 20 is thereby centered onth'at axisp'Y 7 .Three stationary ball bearing races 24, 25 and 26 are located around this annular groove witlrf'their centers positioned on the circum-- ference of circle, 27' whose center coincides thecenter of the opening 22 and the pin 28', and consequently I with the axis of the hammer;

*Aswillbe' best seeninFigures 3 and 5, the ballrace 25 is a hardened disc setinto a cir ciilar: pocket 30 formed'in the upper surface of. the" plat.ef 20. "round bottom annular grooveBl'fislo'cated in the upper surface of theip'late 25, the center of this groove coinciding withthe center of the plate 25 and lying on the circle 27'. This annular groove forms a racein which'the'ball .32 rotates as willpresent'ly "appear The ball'races 24 and 26 are similarly constructedlvl p p i I The :anvil bl'ock'40 supported on the plate 20" bythe ball 32'intheballrace'25 and the ball 33in the ball race 24 and the ball 34 in the ball race 26i Theball 32 registers with a second? ball race 25 which is constructed the race 25 and located in the pocket '41 in the lower surface of the anvil hlocl i 40. The ball 33 registers with a race 24 [whi ch-"isidentical with-the, racei24 and located in the pocket 42 in the anvil block 40, and the ball 34registers with a race:26, located -in the pocket 43 in the anvil block. The pockets 41, .42gand43 are similarly located with-i-their'centers on; the circumference of a circlewhose diameter is equal to the diameter of the circle 27 so that the ball races accurately-register-With each other when the block 40jisset upon the plate 20. The races'25, 24 and 26 are held in their respective pockets in t11eanvi1 b1ock40 in any convenient manner, suclras'by' afpress'fit, which is suflici'ent since a the weight of-th'e"anvil block 40.:bearingon the races tends to hold them'securelyin their respective pockets.

The anvil block 40 is provided with a central opening 44 whose center coincides with the center of the circle on which the centers of the ball races 24, 25 and 26 are located, the hole 44 being provided with a counterbore 43' adjacent the upper surface of the block. A pin 46 fits into this hole, and has a shoulder portion which registers with the counterbore to hold thepin in place. At the upper end of the pin is a projection-47 which is of smaller diameter than the shoulder portion 46, and at the bottom end of the pin is a projections 48 which is of smaller diameter than the pin portion 46. Aroller 48 is fitted over this small diameter projection 48 and held thereon by a washer 49 and-nut 49, the roller engaging the walls of the slot 22 and the outside surface of the pin 23 in the bed plate 20 to guide the anvil block 40 in its movement over that bed plate.

The upper end 47 of the pin 46 projects through a central opening in the anvil 50, to position that anvil accurately on the anvil block 40 with its center coinciding with the central axis of the pin 46. The'anvil block 50 comprises a v generally circular member having a projecting annulus or flange 51 upon which the blank rests and against which-it is pressed by the action of the hammer; The anvil is held on the block 46 in any preferred manner such as by the bolts 52, which also serve to hold the pin 43 in place in the block 40. Preferably the anvil 50 is constructed of hardened steel with the uppersurface of ghe annular projection 51 ground smooth and at. i

The work that is to be flattened in *the H18: chine is held on the anvil block 50 by clamps 53 and 54, the outer ends of which fit over the top of bolts 55' and 56, respectively, and are held thereon by bolts 57 and 58 which are provided with nuts 59 and 60 that are tightened to cause the clamps 5'3 and 5.4 to exert pressure on the upper ends of the pins 55 and 56 and on the blank in the machine. If d-e-. sired, coil springs 61 and 62 may be placed around the bolts 59 and 60 to lift the. clamp members 53 and 54, respectively, off of the blank when the nuts are loosened, to thereby facilitate ready removal of the blank from the machine. p

The upper surface'of the anvil block 46 is provided with a plurality of'sockets 63 and 64 into which are placed coil springs 65and' 66, the upper ends of these springs bearing against the flanged head of positioning pins 67 and 68. These pins ext-end up inside of the annular projection 51 of the anvil. and serve to position the blank-on the anvil and beyond its upper surface a distance greater than the thickness of the flange 70 to a position high enough to catch theedge of the flange even though the edge be distorted bearing against the inside edge 69, of the flange portion 70 ofthat blank. Preferably three positioning pins of this type are provided, although a larger or smaller number may be used as required to properly position the blank or the anvil.

-The hammer 4 is provided with a circular head 71 which has a flat bottom face that is brought into engagement. with the flange '70 of the blank. The stroke of the hammer 4 is suificiently small that when it is raised it does not strike against the upper surface of the flange, and with the blank properly placed in the web section 72 .of the blank clears the peripheral edge of the hammer 71. As the hammer is reciprocated and the anvil rotated, the flange 70 isfiattened in the obvious manner. i o

When the hammer? 1 strikes the upper ends of the pins 67 and 68, those pins are pressed down into the pockets 63 and 64, respectively,

suliiciently far to permit their upper ends to fall below the surface of the flange 70' so that the hammer may flatten the flange at that point. l/Vhen the hammer is removed, the springs 65 and 66 raise the pins again, the

motion being limited by their flanged heads of'theanvil and blank can be governed so that the peripheral edge of the hammer is always close to yet not touching the web section 72 of the blank. As the anvil is moved, through this path, parts of the flange 70 are successively brought under the hammer 71 until the entire flange has been flattened by the action of thehammer.

The-nuts 59 and 60 are then loosened and the clamping plates 53 and 54 removed from the blank, and the blank turned over and the operation'repeated on'the other flange 74 of that blank; 1 a

' It will be noted that during the movement of the blank in the machine, the axis of the blank is always parallel to its original position in the machine and, therefore, it is only necessary to provide clearance between the axis of the hammer and the frame 1 of the machine suflicient to permit the anvil to move around in the path just described, since the end sections of the blank project laterally from the machine and are not rotated during the operation of the machine,

While I have illustrated the machine specially designed to flatten the banj ov section of a rear axle housingof an automobile, I have? done so by way of example only as the inven-' tion may beadapted to a number of uses of which the one shown is but an example. I am not, therefore, to be limited to the specific: details of the disclosure, but rather am to be;

limited by the scone of the a ended claims.

"Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embod1-- ment of my invention, what I consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Pat 1. What is claimed is: I 1. The method of engaging a piece of work having a flanged cylindrical portion with a hammer having a circular head which isre ent is nointed out in the appended claims.

ciprocated along a fixed vertical axis, which comprises, registering the work with thehammer, bringing a point of the cylindrical portion of the work against the hammer, and

moving the work in a circular path around the hammer with a translatory motion wh ch keeps a point on the work touchlng the hammer.

2. The method of engaging a piece of work having a flanged cylindrical portion with a' hammer having a circular head which is reciprocated along a fixed vertical axis, which includes the following steps, viz., placing the work on a member movable with respect to the axis of the hammer eccentrically of the hammer, adjusting the work to bring a point of its cylindrical portion into registration with the hammer, clamping the work to the mem-' her to maintain that adjustment, and moving the work and member in a circular path around the hammer with a translatory motion which keeps a point on the work regis tcred with the hammer.

3. A support for a. block which permits- .movment of the block in a circular path without turning, which comprises a plurality of ball races of diameters equal to the radius of the path, a single ball in each race, and

i3 means for guiding the block in the path.

4. A support for holding a block on a bed plate which permits moving the block in a circular path on the plate without turning which comprises, ball races disposed half in i the block and half in the plate with their out-he plate, consisting of ball races of di ameters,,equal to the radius of the path of movement formed half in the block and half i n the plate, and asingle ball in each race.-

6. A support for holding ablock on a bed plate-which permits moving the block with a translatory motion through a circular path on the-plate, consisting'of threeball races of diameters equal to the radius. of-the path of movement formed half-7 in the block-and half in the plate 'and located equidistantly from eachother and from the center of the block, and a singleballl in eachrace.

. 7.;A1311P7Q0Ibf0? holding a block on a bed plate which permits moving the "block with a translator-y motion through a circular path on-the plat-e, consisting of three ball races of diameters equal to the radiusof the'path of movement formed half inthe block and half in the plate and located with their centers on the points-of an equilateral triangle, and a single ball in each race.

8. A flange flattening machine'comprising a stationary bedplate, ,a movable bed plate mounted thereonand adapted to be moved in translatory motionover afcircular path on the stationary plate, an annular anvil mounted'on said'movableplate with its axis lying on the path of motion, clamps for holding work on the anvil, a hammer disposed with its axis coinciding with the center of said path, and means for reciprocating said hammer longitudinally of its axis.

Y 9. A flange flattening machine comprising a stationarybedplate, a movablebed plate mounted thereon-and adapted to be moved in translatory motion over a circular path on the stationary plate,a hardened anvil mounted on said movable plate, clamps for holding work on the anvil, a hammer disposed with its axis coinciding with the center, of said path, and means for reciprocating said hammer longitudinally of its axis.

10. A flange flattening machine comprising a stationary bed plate, a movable bed plate mounted thereon and adapted to be moved in translatory motion over a circular path on the stationary plate," a hardened annular shaped anvil mounted on said movable plate with its center on the path of said motion, clamps for holding work on the anvil, a ham mer disposed with its axis coinciding with the center of said path, and means for reciprocating said hammer longitudinally of its axis. v

11. A flange flattening machine comprising a stationary bedplate, a movable bed. plate mounted thereon and adapted to be moved in translatory motion'over a circular. path on the stationary plate, an annular anvil mounted on said movable plate with its'axis coinciding with the path of motion, clamps for holding work on the anvil, .a hammer consisting of a circular headmounted on a cylindrical shank, means for mounting said hammer with its axis coinciding with the centerof saidv path, and means for reciprocating said hammer longitudinally of its axis.

12. A flange flattening machine comprisinga stationary bed'plate, a movable bed plate mounted thereon and adapted to be moved in translatorv motion over a circular path on mer and pivoted to the machine, and means for oscillating said lever to move the hammer longitudinally of its axis.

13. In a flattening press, a hammer, an anvil, means for moving said anvil in a circular path around said hammer, said means including ball races in the anvil having diameters equal to the radius of said path,balls in said races, and stationary races of equal diameters.

14-. In a flattening press, a hammer, a circular anvil, means for moving said anvil around said hammer so that its center describes a circular path around the axis of the hammer, said means including ball races in the anvil having diameters equal to the radius of said path, balls in said races, and stationary races of equal diameters.

1.5. In a flange flattening machine, a stationary bed plate containing a circular opening, a pin of diameter smaller than said opening concentrically located in the opening to form an annular groove 1n the plate, a

plurality of ball races located in said plate with their centers on a circle that is concentric with the center of said opening and pin, an anvil block, a plurality of ball races in said block disposed with their centers on a circle of the same radius as the circle through the centers of the races in the plate, a ball in each race in the plate and registering with the corresponding race in the anvil to support the anvil on the plate, and a pin projected from the anvil and registering with the groove in the plate to guide. the anvil with respect to the plate.

16. In a flange flattening machine, a stationary bed plate containing a circular opening, a pin of diameter smaller than said opening concentrically located in the opening to form an annular groove in the plate, a plurality of ball races located in said plate with their centers on a circle that is concentric with the center of said opening and pin, an anvil block, a plurality of ball races in said block disposed with their centers on a circle i of the same radius-as the circle through the centers of the races in the plate, a ball in each race in the plate and registering with the corresponding race in the anvil to support the anvil on the plate, and a pin projected from the anvil with its axis registering the center of the circle through the ball races in the anvil, and registering with the groove in the plate to guide the anvil with respect to the plate.

17. In a flange flattening machine, an anvil bloc having an annular. working s rf e, a has mutatin ajcir-cul r head; me s or holding e b oelgin juxtaposition tet e hammeinuadinga ba l a e havi g a diameter 'equaltothe} difierence between the radius of ,saidQaiWil fand,the,radius or the hammer, a

ballinseid raqe'i'andj-a se ond, and st tionary new. equal qiam J J j 1 i" In a flange, flatteninginachine, an anvil block havin an I annular. working Surfac .2 h mmer having ircular head, means for holding the block inljuiitaposition to the including a plurality of ball races each having, d meter qual to the difierenc betweenthe radius of said anvil and the radius'of the hammer, a ball in each of said races, and a plurality of stationary races of equal diameters.

19. In a flattening machine, a frame, a hammer mounted at the upper end of the frame with its axis perpendicular, means for reciprocating said hammer, a bed plate adjustably mounted on saidframe beneath said hammer, an anvil mounted on the bed plate, said mounting permitting the anvil to move in a circular path around the axis of the hammer and preventing turning of the anvil, clamps for holding a piece of work on the anvil, and means for starting and stopping the reciprocation of the hammer.

20. A flange flattening machine comprising a stationary bed plate, a movable bed plate mounted thereon and adapted to be moved in a translating motion over a predetermined path on the stationary plate, an anvil mounted on said movable plate, spring pressed registering pins for locating work on said anvil,

rocating said hammer longitudinally of its aXisto engage work upon the anvil.

21. In a flange flattening machine, a movable bed plate, a stationary bed plate, means for guiding said movable plate in a translatory motion over a predetermined path on said stationary plate to bring the flange under the hammer, an anvil on said movable plate, a stationary reciprocating hammer, spring pressed pins for locating work on said anvil, and clamps for holding work on said anvil.

22. In a flange flattening machine, a bed plate, an anvil mounted on said bed plate,

said anvil having a flat working surface, means for holding a plate like piece of work upon said anvil, and a plurality of spring pressed pins projecting above said anvil and above the upper surface of the plate like piece of work, said pinsbeing adapted to engagethe edge of the workto locate the work upon the anvil.

23.In a'machine for flatteningthe mar-' I gin of a thin plate like piece of work, the I edge of which does not lie in a plane, the comb.

of afiat anvil, said curve having a hole therein, a stop pin set in said hole, a spring for 'projecting the pin above the surface of the anvil a distance in excess of the thickness of the piece to be flattened so as tohe capable of engaging the distorted edge when the piece lies on the anvih'and a flattening hammer for striking themarginpfthe'piece t flatten the same,'said pin receding against its spring y when struck by the flattening hammer and following the hammer to flatten the edges which the pin engages. g

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe day ofFebruary, 1930.

ylname this 10th g f GEORGE SPATTA iksblss 

